Window cleaning appliance



P 6 1955 c. H. CALDWELL ET AL 2,716,770

wmnow CLEANING APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1950 JJZVEJYLUPE CZarence H CczZdu/eIl T Valzer K aldufell L575 Sept. 6 1955 c. H. CALDWELL ET AL 2,716,770

WINDOW CLEANING APPLIANCE 2 SheetsShee-t 2 Filed May 27, 1950 ZUVEHiUPE C/arence H. Caldwell Waher K. Caldwell United States Patent Ofifice I 2,716,770 Patented Sept. 6, 1955 WINDQW CLEAN IN G APPLIAN CE Clarence H. Caldwell and Walter K. Caldwell, Oak Park, Ill.

ApplicationiMayz 27, 1950, Serial No. 164,674

Claims. (Cl. -126) This invention relates to improvements in a window cleaning appliance, highly desirable for use in association witha vacuum cleaner, air compressor, or other source of" a forced air blast to cause an atomized spray of cleaning liquid to be propelled against the window pane,

although the device'will'have-other uses and purposes-as i.

pressure for the spraying of" cleansing fluid on the glass, 1; and in manycases' required the operator to manipulate the mechanism causing: the spray as well as control the movement of the entire device over the outside of the window. Further, many. of these formerly known devices. were not connectable toa source of compressed air' such! as a vacuum cleaner, air compressor, orthe equivalent; In addition, manyofthese formerly known devices weredifiicult: to: manipulate if utilizedionthe inside of a window. Y

. With. the foregoing: in mind; it isv an important: object ofitheiinstant inventiontoprovide av window. cleaning appliance, which enablesbneto. cleanthe-outside of awindow from the inside of the room, and? which operates. faster, more: thoroughly;.and:may be; constructed more economically than: appliances. of this'char-acter. heretofore; known. Another object: of: thezinventionresides in the provision ated inside the tank in order to help expel the liquid.

forcibly against the window pane.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a.

window cleaning appliance connectable to a source of air pressure. to selectively atomize and spray a cleaning fluid against the window and act as a quick. drying medium when the fluid is cut ofi.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a window cleaning appliance wherein an atomized spray of cleansing liquid is produced by the device, and the spray is controlled by the means utilized for movingthe appliance over the surface of a window.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above. 1 pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a pictorial illustration of a window cleaning appliance embodying principles of the instant invention, shown in use during the cleansing of a window;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device itself, taken from the right hand side of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical sectional View, with parts in elevation, taken substantially as indicated by the line III -III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view taken from the right hand side of Fig. 3, and revolved 90, for purposes of convenience.

As shown on the drawings:

In Fig. 1, we have illustrated the present invention in the form of a window cleaning appliance, generally indicated by numeral 1, showing the same on the outside of a window pane suspended from a strap 2, made of any suitable material such as webbing, and also connected on its underside with a flattened tube 3 which may be connected to any suitable source of air pressure, such as a vacuum cleaner 4 with the hose or tube 3 connected on the rear end of the vacuum cleaner. The tube or hose 3 is obviously constructed so as to have thickened side seams, thus preventing the tube from being squeezed too flat to prevent the passage of forced air there'through.

of: a. window cleaning: appliance: which may readily. be;

connected, to a, vacuumcleaner or other source of air pressuretocause anatomized fluid to be; sprayed against the window for cleaning purp.oses,-,thus.adding toithe func, tional attributes of a vacuum cleaner, especially if, thedeviceis usedin the home,

Afurther features of this invention resides in the-provision of a window cleaning; appliance so arranged as to en,- able; one to clean the'outside of a window from inside/the. room, which appliance isalso constructedto permit ready and, easy cleaning of theinside of the window as'well.

A further feature of the invention, resides in. the provision of a window cleaning device, embodying a tankfor cleansing liquidfrom. which the liquid. is atomized over: the surface of awindow, the device; being manipulated by a pair of strap-like elements, one of which: is tubular and, through which a-blast of air may bedelivered for atomizing the, cleansing liquid from asuitable source of air pressure, such as aevacuum; cleaner, air compressor, or the. equivalent.

It isalso=anobject of thisinvention to provide; a window cleaningdevicefromwhich an atomizedspray of cleansingliquid isv directed over the surface of the. glass from a tanlc forming a part of thedevice, and the construction is. such that not only is liquid: aspirated forcefully from the tank, but a greater than atmospheric pressure is crelid In positioning the device as seen in Fig. 1, the sash 5 is raised so that the then free end of the strap 2 may be threaded over the top rail of the sash frame and.

dropped down outside the window. This end may then be attached to the appliance 1 through the open bottom portion of the window; and the device elevated by pulling downward on the inside portionof the strap 2, to the position seen in Fig. 1, bearing against the outside of the window pane 6.

As seen best in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the appliance itself embodies a tank 7 for cleansing liquid, which may be in the form of a horizontally disposed cylindrical structure, as illustrated, if so desired. One end of this tank is preferably provided with a removable cover 8, and this cover may satisfactorily. be, made of a transparent material, such as a suitable plastic, so the contents of the tank may be visible at all times and replenishment of cleansing liquid may be made whenever necessary.

As seen best in Fig. 3, a curved tube 9 extendsthrough the tank, and is sealed oif at its points of junction with the tank. The lower end of this tube is connected by a suitable slip fit to the end of the flathose 3; The upper end of the tube projects forwardly through the top por tion of the tank and is left open. Another and smaller tube ltl-is disposed in the tank with one end adjacent the bottom of the tank, and the other end projectingthrough the underside of'the tube 9, adjacent the point where theforward end of this tube 9 passes through the tank. The upper end of the tube 10 terminates substantially centrally of the larger air tube 9, and may be selectively closed and opened by proper actuation of a needle valve 11 carried on the forward portion of a lever arm 12 intermediately pivoted as at 13 to the tank, and extending rearwardly of the tank in the form of a thumb lever 14. This lever is normally pressed away from the tank at its rear portion by means of a suitable spring 15 thereby tending to maintain the upper end of the tube i plugged with the needle valve 11. The normal position of the lever 12-14 is therefore the dotted line position as viewed in Fig. 3, the full line position showing the lever moved inwardly at its rear end against the action of a spring to elevate the needle valve out of the tube 10.

Such movement of the lever 12-14 may be caused in either of two dietfrent ways. When the device is used outside of the window, the opening of the needle valve may be caused by a pull on the hand controlled strap 2. To this end, the outer end of the lever is expanded as indicated at 16 in Fig. 4, and suitably apertured to accommodate hooks 1717 on the end of the strap 2 by i means of which the strap is connected to the appliance. Consequently, with the flat hose 3 held in one hand, and the strap 2 held in the other hand, pressure may be applied such as to elevate the forward end of the lever 1214 against the action of the spring 15, and open the needle valve. On the other hand, if the device is used inside the window, the strap 2 may be removed from the appliance, and the appliance held by encircling the lower portion of the tube 9 with the hand or fingers thereof, and controlling the lever 1214 by thumb pressure on the part 14.

Secured to the front part of the tank 7 and also around the projecting end of the tube 9, is a concavo-convex squeegee 18. This squeegee may be made of metal, and rubber edged if so desired, or it may effectively be made of a somewhat resilient piece of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic, so that the edge portions thereof will rub up and down the window as the device is moved over the window pane and squeegee the liquid from the glass.

One other feature of the invention should be especially noted, namely a vent hole 19 provided in the tube 9 inside the tank 7, and preferably near an upper portion of the tank as seen in Fig. 3. Some of the air under pressure passing through this tube will therefore exit through the vent opening into the interior of the tank.

In operation, the present invention is extremely simple, positive, and efiicient. The device is attached to the strap 2 by means of the hooks 17-17 after the strap has been threaded over the upper rail of the window sash frame. The device may then be put through the window at the bottom, and elevated to a desired position by pulling on the strap 2. The operator, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may hold the fiat hose 3 in one hand, and the strap 2 in the other hand and manipulate the device up and down over the outside surface of the window. Such manipulation will bring the device into substantially all corners of the window, and the device will effectively cover and cleanse a window regardless of the shape of the window.

During the operation of the device, the atomized spray of cleansing liquid may be selectively produced Whenever desired. Any form of cleansing liquid desired may be placed in the tank 7, with or without a detergent, and economical detergents may be utilized. When it is desired to wet the window pane, it is simply necessary for the operator to hold the flat hose 3, and pull upon the strap 2, thus actuating the lever 1214 against the action of the spring 15 to open the needle valve. Compressed air is passing through the fiat tube 3 and the tube 9 of the device at all times, and when the needle valve is opened liquid is aspirated through the small tube 10 and atomized or sprayed over the surface of the window as indicated in Fig. 3. This forcible spraying of the cleansing liquid is aided by the fact that the pressure inside the tank 7 above the liquid is normally above atmospheric 4 pressure by virtue of the discharge of compressed air through the vent opening 19 in the tube 9 into the tank. Thus, a very positive spraying of cleansing liquid on the window is occurrent whenever desired.

Of course, the spring 15 is of sufiicient strength that the entire device may be moved over the outer surface of the window to squeegee the same without opening the needle valve when the device is pulled upwardly, it being necessary to provide a slight extra pull over that necessary to merely move the appliance around, in order to open the needle valve and create the spray.

After washing the window with a detergent, the tank 7 may be emptied and filled with a rinsing liquid, if so desired.

When the device is used inside, it is a simple expedient to remove the strap 2, grasp the lower portion of the tube 9, and move the device up and down over the window pane with the hand, energizing the spray whenever needed by thumb pressure on the part 14 of the pivoted lever. While the device is highly desirable for use in the homes as above described, it should also be noted that the device may be used in larger sizes, and in association with an air compressor or the like, for the cleansing of larger windows and for the cleansing of windows in ofiice buildings, factories, and other types of commercial buildings. The device may equally as well be utilized in gasoline filling stations and similar service stations wherein it is customary to cleanse the windshield and perhaps other windows of an automobile at the time some service is provided the driver.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that we have provided a novel window cleaning appliance that is equally as effective for outside cleaning as well as inside cleaning, with the user remaining inside at all times. Further, the device by simple manipulation of the operator provides a forceful atomized spray of cleansing liquid over the glass whenever needed, and this is accomplished without the operator manipulating any additional apparatus whatever, other than that required to merely move the appliance over the surface of the glass. It will be noted that the appliance is long lasting, highly effective in use, and may be economically manufactured.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a window cleaning appliance, a tank for a cleansing liquid, atomizing means carried by said tank to spray liquid over a window, a flat tube connected at one end to said atomizing means and connectable at the other end to a source of forced air, valve means controlling said atomizing means, and a strap connected to the opposite side of the appliance from said tube and arranged to control said valve means.

2. In a Window cleaning appliance, a tank for a cleansing liquid, atomizing means carried by said tank to spray liquid over a window, a flat tube connected at one end to said atomizing means and connectable at the other end to a source of forced air, valve means controlling said atomizing means, spring means normally urging said valve means to closed position, and a tension member connected to said appliance opposite said tube to selectively open said valve means against the action of said spring means by pulling in opposite directions on said tube and tension member.

3. In a window cleaning appliance, a tank for a cleansing liquid, atomizing means carried by said tank to spray liquid over a window, a. flat tube connected at one end to said atomizing means and connectable at the other end to a source of forced air, valve means controlling said atomizing means, spring means normally urging said valve means to closed position, a strap connected to the opposite side of said appliance from said tube and which may be utilized with said tube to manipulate the appliance over a window, said strap being connected to selectively actuate said valve means, and said spring means being of sufficient strength to maintain the valve means closed against the weight of the appliance.

4. In a window cleaning appliance, a tank for a cleansing liquid, atomizing means carried by said tank, a pair of opposed elongated flexible strap manipulators to move said appliace over a window, one of said manipulators being a flat tube for forced air and connected to said atomizing means, valve means controlling said atomizing means, and the other manipulator being connected to selectively open said valve means.

5. In a window cleaning device, a tank for a cleansing liquid, atomizing means carried by said tank, a pair of opposed elongated flexible strap manipulators to move said device over a window, one of said manipulators being a flat tube for forced air and connected to said atomizing means, valve means controlling said atomizing means, the other manipulator being connected to selectively open said valve means, a concavo-convex squeegee carried by said tank for contacting the window, said atomizing means discharging through said squeegee, and a resilient member urging said valve means closed so that said valve means may remain closed while said squeegee is moved over and against the window by pulling on said manipulators but said valve means may be opened and said squeegee pressed more strongly against the window by pulling more strongly on said manipulator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,288 Sallade Mar. 15, 1887 591,745 Du Brul Oct. 12, 1897 736,989 Maske Aug. 25, 1903 1,726,741 Keller Sept. 3, 1929 1,783,506 Homiller Dec. 2, 1930 1,812,207 Keller June 30, 1931 1,843,899 Martinet Feb. 2, 1932 1,929,882 De Hart Oct. 10, 1933 1,975,585 Koukal Oct. 2, 1934 1,982,345 Kirby Nov. 27, 1934 2,270,579 Chamberlain Jan. 20, 1942 2,285,412 Caldwell June 9, 1942 2,419,720 Knight et al Apr. 29, 1947 2,579,625 Taylor Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 90,443 Sweden Oct. 5, 1937 

